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Blog: MotoGP on the Cheap
Valentino Rossi's factory Yamaha YZR-M1.
Even though Rossi is my favorite, it was amazing watching Hayden take his first-ever victory in such a Cinderella story kind of way. After the MotoGP race, everyone started leaving, but I figured this was the best opportunity to go around and see everything once more before they started closing up and watch some more racing that was happening after the MotoGP round.
When I left, I got one of the last shuttles out of the track, which dropped me off somewhere in Salinas. I needed to be at the airport the next day, and a cab there was going be at least $60 from what the cabbies were telling me, so sleeping at the airport was out of the question that night. I only had about $20 left and tried to find a motel room to stay at. I walked for miles in every direction begging someone to let me stay even in a closet for the night but no one would let me.
An RZ350 on display in the Yamaha tent.
I walked into a restaurant and went to the bar to see if the bartender could possibly know a place. While he went to the back to ask a few co-workers, two guys eating dinner saw that I had been at the track, and they themselves had gone to see the races. We got to talking, and one of the guys offered me $20 for a Suzuki hat I had. I had gotten a bunch of hats for free from Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki, and Yamaha, but I wasn’t ready to give away the stuff I got from the track. I politely declined the offer. Then that same guy, realizing that I had nowhere to stay, told me that they would let me stay in their hotel room and give me a ride to the airport the next morning (they also had a flight out) if I gave him the Suzuki hat. I thought about it and reluctantly agreed. I probably should have said no because I didn’t realize until we were already in the car that these guys were pretty drunk.
We made it to their hotel room, which wasn’t too far away, and I crashed on the floor. The next morning, they dropped me off at the airport, we said our goodbyes, and that was the end of my crazy weekend.
Stay tuned for Avila’s blog on the 2006 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix.
"Say, can I borrow this thing to get to the airport?"
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Red it twice. I get from your words that you’re absolutely crazy about bikes, racing, and Vale Rossi. Not too many ppl (I believe) will be willing to endure what you did, in order to see, admire, and feel the thunder of the rockets flying by at the turns or the chance of landing sight at your favorite racer as you did. I can only imagine: Fingers tangled firmly around the fence, heart pumping, a picture.. Pure passion, pure rush, genuine desire. and all done ON A DIME.. Yup, perseverance, high desire, passion… will take you anywhere you want to go. GREAT STORY, Thanks for sharing it with us.